The present invention relates generally to valves and more particularly relates to valve arrangements for use in testing and draining fire suppression water sprinkler systems.
In a typical fire suppression water sprinkler system as installed in many buildings, an array of individual fire sprinklers is supplied with water through a main conduit and various branch conduits. The individual fire sprinklers are generally provided with a member that melts when the ambient temperature reaches a predetermined level indicative of a fire. The melting of the member opens a fire sprinkler to spray water in order to suppress the fire. The individual fire sprinklers are provided with meltable members so that the spray of water will hopefully be limited to the region of the building where the fire is present. In this way, the extent of water damage may be minimized.
After a fire, and especially during maintenance and renovation, it may become necessary to replace one or more of the individual water sprinklers. At such times it is desirable to be able to drain the system of water conduits, so that the removal of one or more of the individual water sprinklers (after the supply of water to the main conduit has been turned off and after the system has been drained) will not result in a flow of water through the fitting for the water sprinkler. Accordingly, it is conventional in the art to provide a valve which when opened will drain the water conduits of the system.
Such fire suppression systems also oftentimes have a switch or sensor that detects the flow of water in the conduits to indicate that even only one of the individual water sprinklers has opened. Since the flow of water in the conduits generally means that a fire is present in the building, the switch or sensor typically triggers a fire alarm or sends an appropriate signal directly to a fire department. Therefore, many fire codes require, and it is otherwise desirable, that the switch or sensor which detects the flow of water in the conduits be periodically tested. Accordingly, it has also become conventional in the art to provide a valve which enables the system to be tested by permitting a flow of water corresponding to the flow through only one individual water sprinkler that has been opened.
In addition, it is desirable (and sometimes required by the applicable fire code) to be able to visually observe the flow of water from the testing valve. Since the testing valve (and oftentimes the drainage valve) is frequently connected directly to a drain pipe, it is conventional to provide a sight glass downstream of the testing valve (and sometimes the drainage valve). It is, of course, possible to alternatively place a sight glass upstream of the testing valve. Also, since it is typically desirable to determine the pressure of the water upstream of the testing valve, prior to and during a test operation, it is conventional to provide a fitting or port to receive a pressure gauge upstream of the testing valve.
The use of separate drainage valves and testing valves results in significant time and expense during the installation of such plumbing. More recently, the testing valve and the drainage valve have been incorporated into a single device along with a sight glass and a pressure port. One such device is provided by the Fire Protection Division of Victaulic in Easton, Pa. under the designation "Testmaster". Such a device remains relatively expensive and cumbersome, however, since the device includes two separate valves that have been provided in a single housing.
In fire protection systems, it is sometimes desirable or necessary (and may be required by local ordinance) to provide a pressure relief mechanism in the fire sprinkler system in communication with the arrangement of piping that supplies water (or some other fluid) to the individual sprinkler heads. In order to provide a pressure relief feature for a fire sprinkler system, it is known to provide a Tee fitting in the piping arrangement in communication with the sprinkler heads and to connect an inlet of a suitable, conventional pressure relief valve with the arrangement of piping through one of the openings in the Tee fitting. The outlet of the pressure relief valve is then directed as desired, either to a drain or outside of the structure being protected by the fire sprinkler system.
In one known arrangement, the outlet of the pressure relief valve is connected by way of another Tee fitting to a drain. The drain is in turn in communication with the arrangement of piping through a globe valve. In this way, when the globe valve is closed, and the pressure in the arrangement of piping remains below a predetermined value, the arrangement of piping may be maintained in a pressurized state. However, when it is desired to drain the system, the globe valve may be opened. In addition, when the pressure in the arrangement of piping exceeds the predetermined value, the pressure relief valve opens to direct the fluid in the arrangement of piping into the drain and thereby relieve the excessive pressure.
It is also known to arrange the pressure relief valve in connection with an inspector's test valve for the arrangement of piping. However, the known arrangements incorporating pressure relief valves together with inspector's test valves are relatively bulky and cumbersome and are costly to install.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a valve and arrangement for a fire suppression water sprinkler system having a pressure relief feature which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for testing and draining a fire suppression water sprinkler system having a pressure relief feature which is relatively simple and easy to install and use.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for testing and draining a fire suppression water sprinkler system having a pressure relief feature which is relatively inexpensive.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a valve and pressure relief feature which permits a fire suppression water sprinkler system to be tested and drained.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a valve and pressure relief feature which provides two different flow rates for a supply of fluid through the valve.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a valve and pressure relief feature which enables the pressure relief port of the valve to be shut off to facilitate installation or replacement of a pressure relief valve at the pressure relief port.
These and other objects are accomplished by a valve and an arrangement for testing and draining a fire suppression system having a pressure relief feature according to the present invention.
The arrangement according to the present invention comprises a conduit for supplying water to a plurality of sprinklers with a sensor provided for sensing the flow of water in the conduit. A valve is provided downstream of the sensor in communication with the conduit.
The valve has a housing which defines an interior chamber with an inlet and at least one outlet. A valve member within the interior chamber has a turning axis and first, second and third ports. The first port has a size which is different than the second and third ports. A pressure relief mechanism is provided in fluid communication with the inlet of the valve through either another outlet for the valve or through an opening in the valve. A moving member selectively moves the valve member within the interior chamber, whereby communication between the inlet and the outlet may be sequentially closed, opened to a first preselected flow rate and then opened to a second preselected flow rate. The second preselected flow rate is greater than the first preselected flow rate.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a valve includes a housing which defines an interior chamber with an inlet and at least one outlet. A valve member provided within the interior chamber has a turning axis and first, second and third ports. One of the ports has a size which is different than at least one of the other two ports. A pressure relief mechanism is provided in fluid communication with the inlet of the valve through either another outlet for the valve or through an opening in the valve. A moving member selectively moves the valve member within the interior chamber, whereby communication between the inlet and the other of the outlets may be sequentially closed, opened to a first preselected flow rate and then opened to a second preselected flow rate. The second preselected flow rate is greater than the first preselected flow rate.
In another preferred embodiment, a valve includes a housing which defines an interior chamber with an inlet and at least one outlet. A valve member provided within the interior chamber has a turning axis and first, second and third ports. One of the ports has a size which is different than at least one of the other two ports. A pressure relief mechanism is provided in fluid communication with the inlet of the valve through either another outlet for the valve or through an opening in the valve. A moving member selectively moves the valve member within the interior chamber, whereby communication between the inlet and the outlet may be sequentially closed and opened to a preselected flow rate.
In each of the embodiments according to the present invention, it is preferred to communicate the outlet of the pressure relief mechanism with the outlet of the valve.